cat-stress

[tamaranth]

having a much quieter day today, and was feeling calm and in control until just now when Shiva had a violent seizure (second one ever: first was after traumatic vet experience).
Have phoned vet and am taking her in tomorrow morning for check (not this afternoon in case it causes further stress). She's sitting on my lap, purring like mad but still rather wobbly and unhappy. Also, she is dribbling gluey fluid onto me (ewww).
Sofa for the rest of the afternoon, I think: writing can wait.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Oh, poor Shiva. May all go well.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

this is really not a good time for random vet-trips and worry -- and I'm worried that my stress is setting her off. (Though, as I said, better today. Or I was ...)

[lj_stowaway]

Oh how awful for both of you! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

{{{hugs}}} to you and gentle snuggles for Shiva

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

thank you from both of us! will keep f-list updated ...

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

*hugs both of you*

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

thank you! (Hope you're nowhere near the fires)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

The closest fire is in Porter Ranch (just over the mountains from us), but isn't blowing our way. The freeway into town is badly effected, though, and the winds are still crazy today.

We've had such amazingly good weather all summer I don't feel we've a right to complain. And wouldn't, if it weren't for the arsonists that come out of the woodwork when the October winds come up.

Give Shiva lots of pets for me, and here's a tropical drink for you. :)

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

Oh god, poor thing - is she on any meds that could be causing this??

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

no, nothing. last time it was probably aftermath of colonic irrigation at v-e-t but this time seemed quite random. worried it might be connected with all the vomitting yesterday ...

[ladymoonray.livejournal.com]

Poor Shiva! Give her a gentle hug from me. And poor you, it must have been really horrible.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

it was very scary (for me, anyway): one moment she was snoring on the chair, next moment it was as if she'd been electrocuted. I got her onto the floor so she didn't fall, but after that I could only watch and keep saying her name and making sure she could see me, if she could see anything. And for about the next 10 mins I was convinced she was paralysed, but that seems to have passed.

Sofa afternoon. she seems fine now and very purry but hasn't moved far under her own power since the fit.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Poor both of you!
I wouldn't blame yourself for passing on stress - as you say, you were LESS stressed when it happened. But I think it could well be moving stress. She may not know she's moving, but cats hate packing and shifting of *their* furniture. (Not a lot you can do about it, but I thought it might be less scary than looking for a physical cause.)
Also, I came across this post (http://samandshiva.livejournal.com/2006/08/29/) yesterday. It made me wonder if she'd done this at least one other time - and I obviously hadn't read your latest news at that point. Roasting peacock, catatonia? It could just be part of her lovely, complex, and unique personality. (Or a touch of stress-triggered epilepsy.)

Wish I could do something to help! Let me know if I can. And don't worry if this means no holiday in East Grinstead, although I hope it doesn't.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

She was certainly extremely distressed on the Burgess Hill to Tonbridge trip: I don't think she'd ever travelled more than a few miles in a car, and my car at that point was slow and noisy. (She prefers the Toyota.) The roasting peacock and catatonia (hahaha) was more a case of screeching, followed by extreme silent-screaming and frothing, than actual epilepsy: but not impossible that it's related.

Poor little kitty! It would hurt a lot to lose her now.

[ivory-goddess.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Poor Shiva. If she's been vomiting a lot it could be related to that - dehydration perhaps?

Good luck tomorrow.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

Dehydration a possibility: vet also raised spectre of kidney problems, which is pretty much a death sentence at her age. She has always been prone to vomitting but yesterday was something else -- she seems to have been ok today but maybe I just haven't found it yet!

Thanks for good wishes, will post post-vet.

[zoo-music-girl.livejournal.com]

I hope it goes well at the V.E.T.